


The Profiler

by sg_wonderland



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-24
Updated: 2011-06-24
Packaged: 2017-10-20 16:48:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/214913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sg_wonderland/pseuds/sg_wonderland
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spencer Reid's first day on the job</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Profiler

Aaron Hotchner gave his coffee an experimental sip before he looked over at Spencer. The newly-minted FBI agent worried him like a dull, achy tooth. “So you’re going to profile for us.”

“Yes.”

“Okay, look around the cafeteria. Pick somebody out, and profile them.”

“You mean, here, right now?”

“Sure.”

“Okay,” Dr. Spencer Reid glanced around the cafeteria, finally settling on a woman progressing through the line, watched her find a seat and studied her for several minutes. “Okay, early to mid fifties, looks ten years younger, you have to really look to see the wrinkles, so obviously she takes care of herself, cares about how she looks to other people. Not married, there’s no wedding ring or any evidence there’s been one. Good jewelry, expensive but not gaudy, very classic, probably buys herself a good piece every year, either for her birthday or Christmas. A loner, she nodded at several groups of people but she chose to eat alone. She’s got a good mix of food on her tray, so I would say she eats her main meal at lunch and probably eats fruit or salad for dinner. Probably single, lives alone.”

He paused, sliding his hair behind his ear. “She sat in silence a few moments before she ate, her lips moved but she wasn’t really saying anything. That means the cross around her neck isn’t just for show. She’s worried, probably about a case. She doesn’t have any files in front of her but every once in a while, she’ll jot something down in her blackberry. She’s adaptable, most people her age don’t take well to technology but she decided to use it, probably even gotten good at it.”

“She’s a fighter. Judging from her age, she had to be one of the first female agents and she’s been battling the glass ceiling her whole life. She believes in what she’s doing or she’d have gotten out a long time ago and gone into something more profitable.” He leaned back. “She’s ambidextrous. She eats with her right hand but she stirred her coffee with her left. Two creams, no sugar.” He glanced over and Hotch caught a bit of unease on his face. “So,” he strived for nonchalance, “how’d I do?”

“Would you like to meet her?” Hotch caught the other woman’s eye and motioned her over. She shrugged, loaded the empties on her tray, and deposited it in its proper place before bringing her coffee over.

“Hotch?”

“Senior Supervisory Special Agent Magda Harris, SSA Dr. Spencer Reid.”

“Dear lord, are they getting them out of grade school now?” She eyed Reid with a smile as she sat.

“Snatched him right off the playground.” Hotch agreed with a straight face. “He’s profiling for us. Care to give him a shot?”

She took a generous drink of her coffee before she started. “Okay. Young, very young so the genius label is a given. Somewhat insecure, he didn’t take his pack off the whole time he was eating. Brand new agent, he looked everyone over but didn’t seem to recognize anyone in the room. Thinks the long hair labels him as a rebel but what it really says is that he isn’t hung up on his looks.” She perused his clothes. “Which is a good thing because, really, that outfit? He uses the hair, the clothes as a shield, wants people to think he’s the quintessential harmless geek. There’s a hint of a mark on his nose, so he wears glasses but probably only when it suits him to do so. He picked a woman out to profile, not one of the younger, more attractive agents so he’s drawn to older woman, probably subconsciously seeking a mother figure.”

She watched him blanch. “I’m sorry; we tend to not think about other people’s feelings. You aren’t an unsub so I shouldn’t have gotten quite so personal.”

Spencer shrugged, forced himself to meet her eyes. “No, it’s okay. I suppose I should apologize for profiling you. But, it’s how we learn.” Spencer replied softly.

“Yes, it is and learning is important to you, isn’t it?”

“It should be to everyone,” Spencer charged.

“I agree. Even criminals learn from every crime they commit.”

“Unfortunately, that’s true.” Hotch glanced at his watch. “And we need to get going.”

Spencer stood, shifting his shoulder bag. “Agent Harris, it was a pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise, Agent Reid. I assume you’re working with Gideon? He’ll take care of you, don’t worry.”


End file.
